I need a front bumper

Which front bumper

  • Slee shortbus

    Votes: 43 30.3%

  • 4x4 Labs

    Votes: 25 17.6%

  • Costa Fabrication

    Votes: 25 17.6%

  • Binks Fab

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Trail Gear

    Votes: 8 5.6%

  • Trail Tailor

    Votes: 6 4.2%

  • Build your own

    Votes: 23 16.2%

  • Other

    Votes: 12 8.5%
  • Total voters
    142

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Well, the decision has been made and the new bumper is on. Ended up not being any of the options I originally was considering. But I’m stoked about it and appreciate everyone’s input. Needless to say there are several really good bumper options out there.

I ended up kinda making my own. Started with a design created by a fellow MUD member. He reached out to me and offered to cut me all the parts he used to make his own bumper and I’m glad he did. Picked up the parts on wednesday, spent Thursday and Friday welding and grinding and painted it and installed it today (Saturday).
 
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Need to find some skinny nuts for the fairlead. It’s pretty tight between the fairlead bracket and the winch.
Also a spot for a small light bar is the center.
Digging the look without all the extra barwork that was on the ARB. And this has surprisingly good clearance and approach angle.
Center section is all 1/4” plate. Wings are all 3/16” plate. Recovery points are tied to frame mounts and are a laminated 1/4” in the middle sandwiches betitwo pieces of 3/16 with a piece of 1/4” wall DOM. Should be strong enough.
Fits my ComeUp winch nicely and the short hoop made the right spot for my HIDs.
 
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Sweet I like the design looks really good on the 80. Any idea how much it weighs. The way the recovery points tie in Looks supper beefy.
 
Box Rocket said:
I actually really looked into getting one from AOE a couple years ago. Some nice things about it. But in the end, I didn't like the fact that I would have to fight Alex Carvallo to get my bumper done, and 6 weeks later dispute the charges with my bank / credit card company
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As an opportunist, I fixed your quote for better accuracy ;)

So at first I'm thinking your new bumper is odd and maybe a bit ugly looking. Then I'm looking again and thinking it has some subtle and well thought out design elements. After a couple more looks its definitely growing on me. Somewhat similar to what happened the first time I saw the 4x4 labs front and initially thought it was hideous. There is definitely a careful blending of function and form there. Its obvious somebody dedicated a lot of time designing that. Thank you for posting the pics, I hope you enjoy the new metal.
 
Box Rocket said:
Need to find some skinny nuts for the fairlead. It’s pretty tight between the fairlead bracket and the winch.
Click to expand...

Encountered the same challenge on a past build. Try feeding the bolt from the inside out before your drop in the which. Put a lock washer under the bolt head, then use an acorn nut on the face of the fairlead. Factor55 makes a super low-profile gairlead that’ll look perfect on your new bumper. Made my life so much easier doing it this way.
 
That’s beautiful.

:cheers:
 
Try messaging/tagging the guy selling them ....

Hub said:
I would be interested in the front bumper. I'm in North Georgia.
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Bumper looks great Adam! Kudos to Carl for contacting you and the offer to share. Its a great looking product.
 
half k cruiser said:
As an opportunist, I fixed your quote for better accuracy ;)

So at first I'm thinking your new bumper is odd and maybe a bit ugly looking. Then I'm looking again and thinking it has some subtle and well thought out design elements. After a couple more looks its definitely growing on me. Somewhat similar to what happened the first time I saw the 4x4 labs front and initially thought it was hideous. There is definitely a careful blending of function and form there. Its obvious somebody dedicated a lot of time designing that. Thank you for posting the pics, I hope you enjoy the new metal.
Click to expand...
Everyone has a little different taste which is good so not everyone has the exact same thing. One of the other bumpers I heavily considered and almost pulled the trigger on was the Slee Shortbus. The main profile of this bumper is not much different from the Shortbus. The winch location is slightly higher above the frame rather than between the frame rails on the Shortbus.
Between the rails is probably best for winching purposes but I think the design of this one will still do well with the higher mounting. The higher mounting gives a bit better approach angle.

But the tubework of the Shortbus is was makes it iconic.
 
Broski said:
Sweet I like the design looks really good on the 80. Any idea how much it weighs. The way the recovery points tie in Looks supper beefy.
Click to expand...
Well it looks heavy, I'm Guessing 150lb. My Casta Fabs is right at 110 with out the lights or Winch
 
Broski said:
Well it looks heavy, I'm Guessing 150lb. My Casta Fabs is right at 110 with out the lights or Winch
Click to expand...
Actually it’s about 115lbs
 
jcardona1 said:
But then you end up with what looks like a piece of lumber.

No offense because I know how much work it involves. Most DIY guys don't have the tools to build a good looking bumper and avoid the boxy look with sharp angles. The shortbus and Labs bumper are popular because they are shaped and formed to compliment the truck and took a lot of effort to design.
Click to expand...
No offense taken. I don't do anything to my truck for looks so that was never a consideration for me.
 
Box Rocket said:
Well, the decision has been made and the new bumper is on. Ended up not being any of the options I originally was considering. But I’m stoked about it and appreciate everyone’s input. Needless to say there are several really good bumper options out there.

I ended up kinda making my own. Started with a design created by a fellow MUD member. He reached out to me and offered to cut me all the parts he used to make his own bumper and I’m glad he did. Picked up the parts on wednesday, spent Thursday and Friday welding and grinding and painted it and installed it today (Saturday).
Click to expand...
I wonder if its the same one i got. Its a spinoff of a companies bumper with some changes(not mimicked, just similar) and it looks killer. If its the same one. Lol
 
Box Rocket said:
Need to find some skinny nuts for the fairlead. It’s pretty tight between the fairlead bracket and the winch.
Also a spot for a small light bar is the center.
Digging the look without all the extra barwork that was on the ARB. And this has surprisingly good clearance and approach angle.
Center section is all 1/4” plate. Wings are all 3/16” plate. Recovery points are tied to frame mounts and are a laminated 1/4” in the middle sandwiches betitwo pieces of 3/16 with a piece of 1/4” wall DOM. Should be strong enough.
Fits my ComeUp winch nicely and the short hoop made the right spot for my HIDs.
Click to expand...


Jusdging the description, its the same one. Sweet!
 
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